Base-ball-game apparatus.



J. A. 6L A. L. WILLIAMSON. BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION HLED APR'. 23. 1915.

Patented Deo. 14, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM co..w^sHlNGToN. D. c.

I. A. A A. L. WILLIAMSON.

BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23. |915.

r 1,164,044` Patented Dec. 14, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. A. 6I A. L. WILLIAMSON. BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Amma, I9I5.

1,164,044. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A Wzzmmsm AL. M'lanwon,

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII C0.. \\',\SIIINGTON. n. c.

J. A. & A. L. WILLIAMSON.

BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

h APPLICATION FILED APILZS, I9I5.

1,1 64,044. Patented Dec. I4, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON, D. c,

parrain ears sarna anion.

JOHN A. WILLIAMSON AND ALCE LOWE WILLAMSON, OF PARSONS, KANSAS.

'BASE-BALL-GAM APPARATUS.

To all whom t may concern: y l

Be it known that we, JOHN A. lViLLiAM- SON andV ALICE LOWE WILLIAMSON citizens of the United States, residing at Parsons, in the .county of Labette and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful improvements in Base-BallGame Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. Y

The invention relates to a game apparatus, and more particularly to the class of baseball game apparatus.-

The primary object of the invention is the provision oi" an apparatus of this character wherein the national game of baseball can be successfully played by the use of a suspended ball and images,'so that it simulates most all of the teaturesof an actual animate game when being played.

. Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character wherein the ball when traveling can be struck in a similar manner imitative of an animate batsman when taking part in the playing of an actual game by persons, and additionally, one of the images traverses the diamond similar to the runner in a ball game, while the images positioned at the 'bases and in the fields are of novel form to assure the catching of the ball when set in action. thereby rendering the game when played attractive and interesting to the participants. Y

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character wherein the construction thereofin all of its details is novel in form to assure the successful playing of the game, and by the skill of one participant over another will enable the winning of the game when played, and at the same time giving amusement to each and all of the participants.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of againe apparatus of this character which is simple in construction, reliable and eiiicient inl its operation, and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in theclaims hereunto appended.

lll .the Cllil/WillgS, Figure 1 isa perspective Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed Apri123, 1915. Serial No. 23,532.

view of a game apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. is a vertical central sectional elevation therethrough. Fig. 3 is a vertical central transverse sectional view. Fig. l is a bottom plan v iew. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the support for the impeiling image to give velocity to the ball. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6 oi2 Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a top plan view. Fig. 8 is a Sectional view through the clampfor the crane or support for the ball. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the movable base for the image indicative of the batsman. Fig. 10 is a sectional view therethrough. Fig. 11 is a sectional view on the line 11--11 of Fig. 7. Fig. 12is a sectional View on the line 12-12 of Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a sectional view on the Aline 13-13 of Fig. 7. Fig. 14 is a sectional Vgame apparatus comprises a table A having the pivoted legs B for permitting folding thereof. Located at one corner of' the table is a socket ball clamp 10 in which is'adjustably mounted the ball terminal l1 of a standard or upright 12, to the upper end of which is linked a crane or arm 13, the link 14- connecting it-to the upright 12 serving to permit folding of the crane or arm, the free end of the latter being provided with a guide eye l5, while mounted at the upper end of. the upright is'aguide eye' 16, and through these eyes is trained anadjustable cord or cable 17, the depending free stretch of which has connected theretoV a spherical object or ball 18, while the other end of the cable or cord 17 is trained downwardly through an opening in the top of the tahle A in proximity to the yclamp 10, thence 1s fixed to the handle of an operating lever 21 which is supported at one end for movement upon a pivot 22 fixed in the under side of the top of the table. The lever 2l moves 1n a guide Yaka 23 fixed to the under Side of the'top of the table A. at one end thereof, and vis locatedapproximately centrally ot the same, which in its top 1s i'jormed' with an arcuate shaped slot 24 through which is passed thehandle 25 rotatably mounted in 1 the lever Y2land forms a wmdlass 2O 'for the windingand unwlnoing ot the cord 17 on Y and from the same to set the height of the spherical object or ball 18 and also to per-V mit the manual shitting' of the lever 21 to vary the course o1" the ba l, Lne yoke 23 medivally thereof being formed with a notch 26 to receive, aflug27 1to1-med on the under side Y of. the lever 2l so as to knormally lock the v scribed.

Located at the center of the table A and lmounted in its top is a cup-shaped member 28 which has its upper end Hush` with the upper surface of the table top, and is formed with a depending central hollow stem 29, theV same being rotatably supported in a `sleeve 30 fixed in the table top, and on this stem' 29 is fixed a pulley 31 over which is trained an endless belt or cable 32 which is alsol trained over a pulley 33 fixed to a rotatable post or stem 34 journaled in the table top near one end thereof, and carries a hand knob 35 so tl'iat'on the turning of the stem 34 the cup-shaped member 28 may be adjusted on rotation thereof for a purpose preser1-tlv` described.

liivotally mounted within the cup-shaped member'QS for vertical swinging movement is a d-i'sk 36 on which is `detachably fastened. an image 37', representative of a pitcher', and to this disk -is connected one endof a pull cord 38, the same being trained through the stem 29- and guide eyes 39 beneath thetable top to a point at one end thereof in convenient reach ofan operator, so that the disk 36 can be tilted on the pulling of the cord, the ballv 18 being suspended forwardly and in contact with the image 37 so that on the rocking of the image the said ball will be impel'led when struck thereby. The image 3 7'is formed with curved convergent arms 40 and 41', respectively, the latter being formed with a hook terminal 42 spaced from the free end of the arm 40 to permit the passing ofV the bal'l 1S therebetween, while the hook terminal 42 will catch the ball to retainlthe Y same when rebounding `on striking the body of they image, and in Vthis manner the ball wil-lfbecauaht thereby. Y

Surrounding the pivot` supporting the disk; 36: is aV coiled tension spring 43, one end of which is 'fixed to the cup-shaped member 2S, whilel the opposite end plays against the diskA 36, and this spring is designedto re turn the image to upright position after the tilting'thereof and its release by the cord 38 the infield in contradistinction to the outfield ofa baseball game area or playing plat. -Thislvdiamond has arranged at the proper points the usual bases,rwhil e detachably mounted oli-the upper tace of the board area series of images 45 which are located relatively tooccupy the positionsot first,

second and third basemen, short stop, cen--V ter, right and left ields,v catcher, Vand bats-V man, respective-ly; Y The image indicative of the batsman 1s mounted for movement 1n a rotatable and laterally movable base 46 which is disposed'within an arcuate slot 47 formed in the top of the table A, and is journaled upon a ystud 48 iXed in a swinging lever 49 pivoted at one end Vto theunder face of the table top, while mounted in its opposite end is a stem 50,. the samebeing extended' upwardly through a guide slot 51 in the table top near one endV thereof,y and'V terminates in a hand knob 52 so that the lever 49 can be arcuately moved, while the base 46 is adapted for rotation on the studl 48 carried Vby the said lever. stud is a coiled tensionspring 53", one end of which is iXedin the base, and the opposite end in the lever 49, while trained about the Surrounding the Y base,`whi'ch is circular or disk-like, is a cord 54, one end' of which is connected to the said base, while the other end is extended to the end of the table to be pulled upon by Van operator for the tensioning of the spring 53 so that on the release of' the cord the image 45 mounted in the base will rotate under the i action of the said spring, and this imageis provided with an arm 55 in. which ismounted a bat 56 adapted to strike' the b all when limpelled for the ldriving thereoffover any portion of the area Vof the the'table top. 4 Y

The; image Voccupying the position of catcher, located rearwardly ot' the home plate ot' the diamond, is termedV with arms similar to the arms 40 and 41, whiletheV arm 40 on the imageroccupying the posi-tion of pitcher has connected thereto a resilient member or catch 57 which closesthe gap between the terminal 4201i the arm 4l and the arm 40 so that the ball 1S will pass through the gap and be positively caught Vwithin the arms of the image, and when it is freely turned to vary the position of the said image for facing, the basemen or fielder-s the ball will'y be positively held. Arranged rear-v playing Vlield on wardly of the image occupyingl the positionV CIL ing the laterally extending resilient arms formed with hook terminals 61 so that the ball will be trapped in event the same passes the image occupying the position of catcher. Formed'in the table top and coextensive with three stretches of the Vdiamond 44, and branching from the remaining stretch thereof is a substantially diamond-shaped co-ntinuous slot 62, which is the course of the movable image or images 63 serving as the base runners, the images being movable either singly or together in a manner presently described. .l Y Mounted directly beneath the straight stretches of the slot 62 are movable slides 64, each supported in guides 65 fixed to the underside of the-table ltop, while formed in one end of the said table top is a cut-away portion 66 for accommodating a plurality of keys 67, the same being supported upon a pivot 68 common thereto, mounted beneath the table top so that the said keys 67 can be rocked on the pivot 68. The respective slides 6dhave their ends adjacent to eachother disposed in overlapping relation directly at the points of the bases. By reason of this particular arrangement, when an image indicative of a runner has been advanced to any one of the bases in the diamond a quick and sudden release of the slide causes an inertia on the part of the said image, and thus freeing the image from the suddenly released slide so that it will gravitate on to the end of the next slide, whereby upon movement of' the latter the said image will be correspondingly advanced from one base to the other, and in event that it isrdesired to move the runner backward the slide is moved gently so that i the image will remain upon the slide and move as a unit therewith. Connected to each` key 67 is a cord 69, the same being trained over guide pulleys 70 mounted on the table top at suitable points thereof for the proper guiding of the cord, which has its opposite end connected with a hook 71, these hooks being mounted in the slides 64e, and to each hook is connected one end of a retractile spring 72, the opposite end of which is connected to one of the guides 65 for each slide 64 so that the same will be moved to normal position after being shifted by actuating the cord 69 connected thereto when the key for controlling such slide is depressed.

The table top is formed with the respective entrance and exit openings 73 and 74 to and from the slots 62 for the positioning of the image or images 63 therein and the removal of the same therefrom. Each image 63 is formed with a base 75 so that it may be placed upon any one of the slides 64e whereby on movement thereof the image 63 will be advanced through the slot 62 from its starting point to the respective bases nand suitably` Vfrom the slot 62 it is advanced to the exit opening 73, and in this manner can be readily extracted as will be clearly apparent.

On rotating the cup member 28 the image 37 can be shifted so as to drive the ball in Y the direction of any of the respective images l5 occupying positions at the bases of the diamond 44:, thereby enabling put-outs counting against the base runners. When the ball 18 has been caught by any of the images it can be readily released by pulling upon the cord or cable 17 for the freeing of the ball from between the arms on the image.

It will be understood that by manipulation of the keys 67 the image indicative of the base runner is moved and also shifted from one slide to another without the necessity of handling the image for this purpose, and also that a plurality of base runners may be advanced to their respective bases at the same time. Upon repeating in quick succession the pressing of the keys down and releasing the same the base runner is carried the entire length of the slide supporting the same and pushed oft1 on to the second or next slide adjacent thereto. The

bases are so placed in the diamond that when the base runner is carried as far as the first slide will permit the image indicative of ich runner stands at the point of the iirst base and onto the end next thereto of the adjacent slide so that he is ready to advance from first to second base upon manipulation of the key controlling the said second slide. Each key operates its slide independently so that any combination of keys may be operated at the same time to advance either singly or together four base runners or any number less than four. T he base runner in each instance may be advanced around the entire diamond dei without touching the image indicative of the ruimer with the hands at any point, and also that a plurality of base runners can run their bases at the same time.

By pressing gently downwardly on the key for operating the initial advancing slide the base runner will be advanced from home plate toward iii-st base, and by quickly lifting the linger from the key the spring and cord suddenly draw the slide back to normal position, leaving the base runner standing in the advanced position. Now, to run backward, the key is suddenly depressed and releasec gently so that the base runner will be caused to more in reverse direction in the slot 64, and thus it will be seen that the base runner can be moved forwardly or backWai-dly` by proper manipulation of the keys. ln this manner of manipulation of the keys it is possible for the base runner to steal ci?. from the base and run back if in danger of being put-out,"and ii" several Vbase runners are running at the same time and it happens' a base is passed by any one of such. runners, unich often happens when running several base runners at once, Va back- Ward'ni rement oi" the slide slowly brings the image which has passed the base onto the base again, or else a put-out would happen.y Considerable amusement is had in playing the game. by care-fulv manipulation of the keys for controlling the movements i: the images indicative of the base runners. Mounted at one corner of the table is a vertical post C, and'any number of these can be mounted atV ,different points of the board so that When the ball is impelled its cord Will swing in the path of the post C and become Wrapped about the same by the impetus or velocity of travel of the ball, thereby delaying the recovery of the -ball and thus indicating an outiield hit, either a long hit or a hit poorly fielded by any one of the images indicative. oi the outlield players. The upright 12 will also serve as a post for the Wrapping of the cord 17 about the saine when the ball lS-has been put in motion to prolong the drive to indicate a: deep or long outield hit.

|The playing of the game is carried out correspondingly to the rules and regulations of the national game of baseball for the scoring or lwinning of the game. However, it is to be understood that any num ber of persons can be participants, yet it requires tivo operators, one serving to operate the image representing thel pitcher and the ball, While the other person operates the images indicative oit' the batsman and the base runners. Y

The operation of the apparatus is as fol'- loWs:-In the playing of the game of base ballV it is essential that there be tivo operators, one'disposed at one end of the board and the other at the other end ot the board, the same controlling respectively the image indicative of the pitcher, and the other for operating the image indicative of the batsman, and the image indicative of the runner. Assuming that the ball 18 is suspend ed in position to be struck by the image indicative of the pitcher, the operator pulls upon the cable 3S, which tilts the image 37 indicative of the pitcher, the ball being struck by the latter is advanced toward the image indicative of the batter. As the ball reaches the home plate the other operator actuates the cable 54, which causes movement to be imparted to the bat 56 held by the image ,indicative of the batsman in an lattempt to strike the ballfrl'S, Vandra 'failure to accomplish0V this constitutes afstrike in the oi'dinaryrgame of. baseball, bu't'should the ball be: struck by thebat vsuclrivill constitute a hit, provided itjis iiot caught y the images indicative voiigthe"intield playersand outfield players, which in this ininednumber of which entitle theA batsman to take position on iirst base, as inthe ordinary frame. Also the o ierator controllin .l b D Vthe batsmancan move the image rconstitut-v ing the same by the lknob 52 so as to place the ball lS when hit by the bat 56 at any desirable points in the infield or" outiieldin an elort to assure the batsman ci' a sa'fe`liit. Under any circumstances should the batsman reach first base. either by a hit ora base on balls, it is the ob-V ject oip` the operator o the image constituting the runnerto advance it from base to 'm t'l `t l t1 l l t 7 l base un i i ieacaes ne iome p a e anc thereby scoring or constituting a run,

`The operator manipulating the image constituting the pitcher can dispose the said imageV inthe direction 0:? any of the bases so that the ball i8 can be throivnito the baseman kinra-n effort to prevent the image constituting the runner from advancing from one base to another. Vlin advancing the image constituting the runner, the same is placed in the opening Maand is moved into the slot 62 so that it can be positioned upon the slide extending from home plate to first base. New, to advance the image constituting the runnerit is necessary to manipulate the key controllingthe slide on which the runner is placed so that the slide will be movedv in a direction from home plato to first base, and in event that this slide is moved slowly the image constituting the runner and the slide move as a unit. To tree the image cons ituting the runner at iii'st base itis necessary thatV the key be quickly released so that the spring 72 will become active ieor the quick return of the slide @il to normal position, and-the image constituting the runner, by itsinertia, leaves the slide 64: and gravitates on to the end adjacent thereto oi' the slide .64 extending from iirs't to second base, which in turn is manipulated by one of the keys to advance the runner tothe next base, and'so on until the ruimer has reached home plate. By reason of the fact that the image indicative oi' the pitcher can be positioned so as toV advance the ball` inthe direction of thebase occupied by therunner, it renders it diilicult for the operator controlling the image indicative of the runner to advance the runner from one base to the other, yet this can be done by giving the runner What is knoivn in the ordinary game of ball as a .lead, which is effected by slowly depressing the key controlling the particular slide uponvvhich the runner is positioned. Should the player be advanced too far on the base and an attempt be made to throw the ball in the direction oit the base to put the runner out, the pressure can he gradually released rom the key, at Which time the spring operates toreturn the slide and runner thereon as a unit to the base previously occupied. Should the runner fail to return to the base previously occupied prior to the arrival of the ball, it is counted as an out,

From the foregoing description, taken in connection With the accompanying dravving, the construction, and manner of operation of the device will be clearly understood, and therefore a more extended explanation has been omitted.

Vhat is claimed is:

l. In a game apparatus of the class described, a board having a continuous circuitous slot oi diamond shape, an image movable through the slot, mechanism supported beneath the board for advancing the image through the slot, a plurality of keys for controlling said mechanism, a crane movably supported on the board, a cable guided by the crane, a spherical object connected to the cable, means located centrally of the diamond for giving momentum to the spherical object and simulating a pitcher, and means for striking the spherical object to drive the same at dilierent pointsof the board and simulating a batsman.

2. In a game apparatus of the class described, a board having a continuous circuitous slot of diamond shape, an image movable through the slot, mechanism supported beneath the board for advancing the image through the slot, a plurality of keys for controlling said mechanism, a crane movably supported on the board, a cable guided by the crane, a spherical object connected to the cable, means located centrally of the diamond for Diving momentum to the spherical object and simulating a pitcher, means for striking the spherical object to drive the same at dierent points oic the board and simulating a batsman, and means for actuating the said first-named means.

3. 1n a game apparatus o1c the class described, a board having a continuous circuitous slot of diamond shape, an image movable through the slot, mechanism supported beneath the board for advancing the image through the slot, a plurality of keys for controlling said mechanism, a crane movably supported on the board, a cable guided by the crane, a spherical object connected to the cable, means located centrally of the diamond for giving momentum to the spherical object and simulating a pitcher, means for striking the spherical object to drive the same at different points of the board and simulating a batsman, means for actuating the said )first-named means, and means for actuating the second-named means.

4. 1n a game apparatus of the class described, a board having a continuous cir'- cuitous slot of diamond shape, an image movable through the slot, mechanism supported beneath the board for advancing the image through the slot, a plurality of keys Jfor controlling said mechanism, a crane movably supported on the board, a cable guided by the crane, a spherical object connected to the cable, means located centrally of the diamond for giving momentum to the spherical object and simulating a pitcher, means for striking the spherical object to drive the same at diierent points of the board and simulating a batsman, means for actuating the said first-named means, means for actuating theV second-named means, and means for operating the cable to vary the course of the spherical object.

5. 1n a game apparatus of the class described, a board having a continuous circuitous slot et diamond shape, an image movable through the slot, mechanism supported beneath the board for advancing the image through the slet, a plurality of keys for controlling said mechanism, a crane movably supported on the beard, a cable guided by the crane, a spherical object connected to the cable, means located centrally of the diamond for giving momentum to the spherical object and simulating pitcher, means for striking the spherical object to drive the same at diil'erent points of the board and simulating a batsman, means for actuating the said first-named means, means for actuating the second-named means, means for operating the cable to vary the course of the spherical object, and a plurality of images positioned upon the board at predetermined points thereof and having catching arms.

6. 1n a game apparatus of the class described, a board having a continuous circuitous slot ot' diamond shape, an image movable through the slot, mechanism supported beneath the board for advancing the image through the slot, a plurality of keys for controlling said mechanism, a crane movably supported on the board, a cable guided by the crane, a spherical object connected to the cable, means located centrally of the diamond for giving momentum to the spherical object and simulating a pitcher, means for striking the spherical object to drive the same at different points of the board and simulating a batsman, means for actuating the said first-named means, means for positioned upon the board at predetermined `actuaxlg the fse'condinzimed means, nezl'ns for ope-atlngthe cable to vary the course of the spherlcal object, a plurahtyof `lmages points thereof and having catching arms, and :L baokstop on the board for the spheri-k cal obj ect.'

V/Vtnesses :f Y Y P. BLAKE, Y BARTON DUNNIN'G.

Copies of this -p'atext maybe obtained.` for-five cents each, by addressing ihe dCommissronedrof P aents,V Y

WashingtonD. C.-

ALICE jLoWE WILLIAMSGN, o' 

